Consistently Doing It The Right Way

By: D. Scott Fritchen

With its dominant 41-15 win over Cincinnati this past Saturday, Kansas State, which began the season at 7-1, regained its footing following consecutive losses at Houston and against Arizona State.

The victory also gave K-State eight victories, enabling the Wildcat to join a small, impressive group of FBS schools.

K-State joined Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Oregon as the only teams in the country to reach at least eight wins in each of the past four seasons.

It's also the first time in a decade that K-State has had four straight years with at least eight wins, signifying that the consistent Wildcats are in good shape under sixth-year head coach Chris Klieman, whose team won the 2022 Big 12 Championship, and is still mathematically in the mix for a chance to play in this year's league title game as well.

"As a staff, it's something we're really proud of, because it's hard to win college football games, and I know you're expected and want to win every game," Klieman said at his weekly news conference on Monday. "It's difficult to win.

"It means a ton to me that we've won eight games in a year," he added, "but now we've got to try to get to nine, and we've got to try to get to 10. It's a huge thing to know we're doing it the right way and with the right guys on the field with our players and our staff."

K-State went 8-5 in 2021 (Texas Bowl), 10-4 in 2022 (Sugar Bowl), 9-4 in 2023 (Pop-Tarts Bowl) and is 8-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big 12 Conference as the Wildcats prepare to visit No. 17 Iowa State, 9-2 and 6-2, in Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

K-State last won at least eight games in four straight seasons in 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9).

The Wildcats' 35 wins since 2021 is tied for 14^th nationally and most among active Big 12 squads.

"It's about not being too high and not being too low," junior linebacker Desmond Purnell said. "We stay consistent. Our coaches really preach that, and our leadership really preaches that to the younger guys. Us older guys help the younger guys understand that. They really do understand that. That's how we continue to have eight-plus win seasons."

The path to eight wins this season wasn't particularly easy. The Wildcats came from behind in a 34-27 win at Tulane, suffered a 38-9 loss at BYU, then won four straight with a pair of thrilling finishes at Colorado (31-28) and against Kansas (29-27). Then the Wildcats suffered a pair of setbacks at Houston (24-19) and against Arizona State (24-14).

But the Wildcats responded impressively on their Senior Day against the Bearcats.

"It's resilience," Klieman said. "To go on the road to win at Colorado was really a good win. Everybody knows what KU is playing like, and it's the way KU probably should've played earlier in the season. We were the last team to beat those guys. Tulane could be in the College Football Playoff. They're a good enough team, in my opinion, and we went down there and beat them at their place. We had enough resilience and resolve to get that win.

"A lot of things even out over a season, and injuries play a factor and all that stuff, but the fact that our guys came together and found a way to win at least eight — let's keep going."

The process begins long before fall camp. Klieman tips his cap to Director of Strength and Conditioning Trumain Carroll and his staff, and the nutrition and athletic training staffs for getting the players ready to go each year.

"It starts downstairs (at the Vanier Family Football Complex)," Klieman said. "It always starts downstairs on the first floor with our strength staff, our nutrition staff, our athletic training staff. They demand an awful lot of those guys. They get a lot from those guys because that group has the ultimate respect of our football team. They know they're going to do everything they can to get those guys to be successful. Our team doesn't want to let those guys down. You go through a winter and summer with Coach Tru and you're going to be a tough kid."

Tight end Will Swanson can attest to that.

"The main thing I've seen is just how the culture hasn't changed," Swanson said. "There's a standard. It's never wavered and that's 1000% why we've sustained success. There's only one way to do it and it's the right way. The coaches have done a good job of ensuring that's how it's done."

The standard has remained strong, particularly since Klieman instituted the Wildcats' four principles for success— Discipline, Commitment, Toughness and Be Selfless — prior to the 2021 season.

The Wildcats turned those principles into a winning formula that has permeated the walls of the Vanier Family Football Complex, the indoor practice facility, and Bill Snyder Family Stadium, where the Wildcats have been darned near unbeatable.

The Wildcats "pound the stone."

"It's just how we're raised and it's about who they recruit," center Sam Hecht said. "They recruit people who want to win. We all love winning, and that's what we came here to do."

The Wildcats have two, if not three, more chances to win this season. They could match their 10 wins in 2022. If they make the Big 12 title game and win, and then win their bowl game they'd tie the school record with 11 victories.

"It was disappointing to have the Houston and Arizona State losses, but we've won eight games, and we still have a ton of room to make this season a great one," Swanson said. "We just have to finish this season the same way we started it."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sam Hecht

Desmond Purnell

Will Swanson

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